The invention relates to cooling devices and in particular to a cooling system that can be incorporated into clothing, or applied directly to body surfaces. Existing air conditioning systems are designed to cool building spaces and can not be conveniently used to cool an individual who moves outdoors. One objective of the present invention is to provide a cooling system which is wearable and can contribute to the comfort of a person both indoors and out doors.
Another objective of the invention is provide a direct cooling of people and, thus, save the energy required for space cooling.
A third objective consists of increasing the safety of workers, such as fire fighters, who must work under life threatening high temperatures.
Another objective is to provide an improvement in medically prescribed cooling. For example, the invention can provide a direct cooling of patients with excessively high fever. The cooling system can likewise be used for casts and compresses. One of the side effect of casts, which enclose a body portion for long periods, is the fact that the casts act as insulators and reduce the natural heat loss from parts of the body enclosed by the casts. An objective of this invention is to incorporate a low cost temperature-adjustable cooling system in the cast, and thus reduce an excessive heat accumulation in the body portions enclosed by the cast.
Another medical objectives consists of the provision of cold compresses which can be temperature regulated. Existing cold compresses consist of ice packs. The temperature of the ice can not be changed and is too cold for prolonged application. The present invention provides compresses with any desired intermediate ice to body temperatures.